In the field of veterinary medicine, three primary treatments have been used for animals with chronic and degenerative hip conditions such as congenital dysplasia, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, avascular necrosis, and recurrent dislocation. The first treatment method is conservative management, wherein medication, exercise, and nutrition are regulated in an attempt to decrease pain in the animal and increase range of motion. This treatment method, while minimally invasive and comparatively inexpensive, only slows the degeneration of the hip joint but does not cure the condition or stop its progression. Also, conservative management can typically only be used in mild or early cases of degenerative hip disease and thus does not afford a lasting solution to many animals.
The second treatment method is total hip replacement. This method includes excising the femoral head and neck and reshaping the acetabular surface. Metal prosthetic components are inserted into the joint, shaped to act as a replacement femoral head, neck, and acetabulum. This treatment method requires specialized veterinary care, is comparatively the most expensive treatment method, and can lead to surgical and long term complications, especially in larger animals. The cost-prohibitive nature of this treatment method and required technical expertise make it a viable solution in only certain circumstances.
The third treatment method is femoral head ostectomy. As with total hip replacement, the femoral head and neck are excised. However, unlike total hip replacement, no replacement femoral head or neck is used, and the joint space is left vacant following the femoral head ostectomy. The affected leg is unable to support weight-bearing for several weeks while fibrous scar tissue forms in the joint space, eventually forming a pseudoarthrosis or false joint. While this treatment method can permit some functional recovery of the joint and serviceable weight bearing, recovery time can span multiple weeks or months and postoperative rehabilitation can be six months or longer. Postoperative leg length discrepancy and gait abnormalities are common, especially in larger animals and larger breeds of smaller animals that historically have less predictable outcomes. While less costly than total hip replacement, femoral head ostectomy provides for only limited functional recovery of the joint, and the animal is at higher risk for complications while activity is compromised. In short, femoral head ostectomy has typically been considered a last-resort salvage operation with the primary purpose of relieving pain, not returning to early and full mobility.